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Looking for opinions - Change oil for winter storage?

4K views 26 replies 15 participants last post by  tsmgguy 
#1 ·
Hi all,

Looking for some opinions. My T100 is only a couple months old, break in oil was changed at about 800km and there is now 2300km on the clock.
Would you change the oil again for winter storage? The oil in it has only 1500km on it.
I'd prefer the clean oil but just not sure that it's worth the expense.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I guess you meant drain and re-fill with oil before running the engine (the way I read it it sounded like indicated running with no oil).

The problem is if you run the engine after you've put new oil in it won't be new any longer and as the engine will be running cold the level of containments will be higher than if the last ride was 50 miles of fully warmed riding. Likewise the level of water in the exhaust.
I'd advise never running the engine once stored I don't see any benefit and plenty of downsides.

Personally I'd not bother changing reasonably new oil for a short storage but as you will have to do it sometime next year why not?
 
#4 ·
I agree... small investment in the long run to change it. I put Sea Foam in the tank, run the bike, change the oil (& filter, if there is one), drain carb bowls, spray fogging oil in the spark plug holes for a count of 10, pump kickstart through a couple times to spread the fogging oil. Remove battery and put it on a tender indoors.

... Oh, and then I wish that I can go to sleep and hibernate until April... !
 
#7 ·
She will likely be stored until late March tripleS.

Nice day today, 5c, but rain and snow for the weekend. Took advantage of it, went for what could be the last ride of the season. Stopped at my dealer and bought a filter and 4 litres of Spectro Golden4 20w50. $52 for the oil Steve, this stuff is a blend. I questioned the service dept. and that's what they've been using for years.

Rode for over an hour around town, didn't see another bike, wow, a bit surprising.

So bottom line is, I'll go ahead and change it out, don't want to leave her sitting with dirty panties. :)
 
#8 ·
1500 miles feels a lot prior to winter storage, then again I change my oil every 2000 miles.
 
#9 ·
Peace of mind or waste of money!



Generally accepted that to get out all the old oil will take at least 2 changes. If you do a filter and oil change there will still be .7 of alitre of the old oil in the motor.
The modern lubes are meant to last, so either way youll be fine. just go with the heart, they are still printing $!
 
#11 ·
Thanks for all the input everyone!

Askari, agreed, there will still be some older oil in the engine, but very diluted with the new stuff. So, less contaminants, which is good.

Pauljp, I will start her up with the new oil and let her run until warmed up. Just to get the new oil circulated. Very little contaminants will be added in that short a time, certainly nothing to worry about.
I live in Kanata, have also worked here for the last 25 years. Maybe I'll see you on the road next spring!
 
#12 ·
Spray fogging oil in the spark plug holes?

So who does this for a storage of 3 months or so? It seems like a bit of overkill to me. :headscratch
I wonder if new showroom bikes, that may sit for many months have oil sprayed into the combustion chamber.
I would understand doing so for a long storage period, say 6 months or more.

What do you guys think of starting her up every few weeks on the warm days, and letting her idle until warmed up? I know it won't do much to warm up the transmission but it'll circulate some fresh oil around.
 
#14 ·
What do you guys think of starting her up every few weeks on the warm days, and letting her idle until warmed up? I know it won't do much to warm up the transmission but it'll circulate some fresh oil around.
If you are really worried about getting oil around the engine pull the plugs out (or at least the caps off) and spin the engine over, this will pump oil around without the more harmful effects of combustion products, at their worst whilst cold, being distributed around the engine.
 
#13 ·
Assuming you are changing the oil yourself at home, I don't see the point of starting it up before you store it.:confused:

All the moving parts remain coated with oil no matter how thoroughly you drain the crankcase. I just make sure the engine is hot when I drain it, not sure whether .7 liter or whatever remains, but one of the conveniences of these bikes is they take 4 L from "empty", no worry about over or under filling, just dump it in. (At least on mine.)

Some guys go to all kinds of effort - fogging cyclinders, putting in 2 L extra then draining excess in Spring...I've been told by Triumph mechanics that these engines are sturdy, and I expect they will last a long time with or without that extra attention.

I'm sure I'll hear about it if other opinions vary.:D
 
#15 ·
I've always done exactly what my father has been doing with his bike for the past 26 years.

Fill it up with fuel, ad some stabil, run it for 5 mins, and change the oil at some point over the winter. He's never had any type of motor problems. Neither have I, but I've only been doing this for about 5 years.

I personally think if you just recently changed the oil, you'll be fine storing it over the winter without doing it again. I changed my oil back in October when I thought warm days were over. Since then, I've had it out for probably another 150 or so miles. I do not plan on changing it again.
 
#16 ·
Change the oil for winter storage?

That would be a pointless waste of oil and money.

Fill the fuel tank all the way to the neck to prevent rust inside the tank, add stabilizer (including into the carbs, so take a ride and refill the tank after you put in the stabilizer), and connect a Battery Tender every two or three weeks.
 
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#17 ·
To Oil or Not to Oil .....

Quite a range of opinions on this subject. GDCobra, good idea to pull the plug wires rather than start her up.
I suspect whether I change the oil or not she'll be fine, changing out oil with only 900 miles on it may be a waste and overly cautious, but new owners like to baby their toys! :D
Fuel stabilizer is a given, no debate on that one.
Last Thursday may have been my last ride of the season, :SadSigh snow covers the ground now with freezing rain and more of the white stuff coming.
I've ordered a Triumph shop manual for some good reading and will have the forum to keep the drive alive over the winter.
Thanks guys!
 
#18 ·
For long storage I change the oil & filter & I fill the crankcase as full as i can then I remove the spark plugs and put 1/2 cup of oil in each cylinder replace the plugs and roll the engine over very slowly by pushing the bike in gear or rotating the rear wheel if you have a center stand. If it wont go over tdc then rotate it backwards to send the other cyl to tdc. I put both cyls. at mid stroke and completely fill the cyl. with oil & install plugs. I only use new oil. When it's time to ride i drain the oil down to the correct level and use a suction gun to remove oil from the cyls. Put new plugs in and fire up.
 
#20 ·
Good point Pete, thanks, I won't use the start button.

I was talking to a friend in the last few days who was a mechanic in a past life and has had lots of experience with storing small engines of different types.
He suggested that I NOT change the oil before storage, change it in the spring prior to the first ride. The reasoning behind that is that the oil in there now has only 1500km on it, so has very little contaminants in it. Over the winter the oil will absorb moisture and since the engine isn't running and burning it off, dump it in the spring and put in clean oil at that point.
Thoughts?
 
#24 ·
Personally I don't think it will make much difference but if I were going to change the oil come spring I may perfer to do it now so it's as good as it can possibly be with no chance of any contaminent present while stored. If you do get any water condensing in the crankcase this will be the same no matter what oil is in there, it won't mix as someone mentioned and will be quickly burned of when spring returns and you engine blossoms into life once again. I can't wait myself!
 
#21 ·
Went all the way down to 37° F last night. Rode to work this morning. I'm not really seeing any storage plans in my future. :D
 
#22 ·
You know, since I was a kid, I was always told that oil and water don't mix.
Now people are talking about the oil in the motors absorbing water.
How does that work?
Does that mean all my half empty (or is it half full??) containers of oil on my garage shelf are no good?
For my new 2012 Bonnie, the oil gets changed according to the manual, 800km, 10,000km, 20,000km etc... weather it goes out everyday or sits for six months.
 
#25 ·
Mine gets changed in the spring the bike gets started every month. I let it get hot enough to dry any condensation from the exausts.
Oil WILL circulate through the gears as they are constant mesh they rely on dogs for engagement.
When its been run I move it in the garage to stop the tyres from getting flat spots and spray acf 50 on exposed parts, wiping the bare alloy wheels etc.
If the engine gets hot enough the contaminants evaporate and no harm done, each alternate week it gets a trickle charge for a week and never had any problems.
My 900 Trophy has been fine with this for the past dozen years.
However my garage is heated and insulated so its always warm. If winter is longer than normal I syphon off the tank in the spring and put the fuel in the car and replace with fresh fuel. I do use a stabilizer as well.
Damp is our main enemy I think so avoiding it is vital.

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#26 ·
The answer to winter storage ....

I'm surprised at the response to this thread, lot's of ideas, from one extreme to the other.
I might have the ultimate answer though, I may be heading to Florida in the new year and will be spending the winter in the south. No winter storage needed! WooHoo! :ride
 
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